


Fate is an Impenetrable Fortress

by Dunkthebard



Series: Nahlnehviir -  "Living and Never Dying" [4]
Category: Elder Scrolls, Elder Scrolls Online, Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: Epic Poetry, Gen, Loss, Loss of Faith, M/M, Poetry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-02
Updated: 2020-03-02
Packaged: 2021-02-27 21:28:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 874
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22992466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dunkthebard/pseuds/Dunkthebard
Summary: The second book of the ancient Orsimer Epic Poem,The Ballad of Wayland, which follows the adventures of Druga gro-Mauldyr, the lost son of Malacath. Druga must avenge the loss of friend and lover, the Dwemer king of Volenfell, Ingumuard.Druga meets with the Dragon, Thurvokun, to seek answers about what happened to the entire Dwemer race.
Series: Nahlnehviir -  "Living and Never Dying" [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1569034
Kudos: 1





	Fate is an Impenetrable Fortress

Druga was the first on Mundas to know that all the Dwemer were gone.

The magical amulet, The _Ngalft_ , he wore to speak, 

with his lover, Ingumuard, broke in two and came undone.

The two Dwemer traveling with Druga, 

Ghalen the Stonespeaker and Klavith the Beast Tamer,

on their way through the mountains,

Were young and noble, true friends of all honest folk. 

But suddenly a chill came over them along the road,

And Druga turned to see his dear friends turning into dust.

Druga cried out to them as they shifted into the high mist of the mountains,

And Klavith said “We are going away, misinterpret this.”

They were gone and Druga knew something terrible had came,

To rupture Nirn and turn the laws of Tamriel lame.

So he made his pilgrimage to _Ornim Krazak_ , and prayed. 

And after many days of contemplation and mourning, he set out again. 

Before Druga could avenge his lover and find his hammer,

He needed to journey the land to solve a mystery, to answer,

Why had his beloved King Ingumuard vanished into dust?

And why had dear fate conspired to make Volendrung rust?

Druga knew the secret Dwemer ways and knew their tongue.

But where in the bowels of Nirn did Volenfell’s King die?

Certainly he was deep in the ground as all Dwemer are. 

But Druga did not know all the ways and actions of his lover,

All the knowledge in Mundas was for naught if he had to dig all of Tamriel,

Just to desperately search where Ingumuard lie. 

Druga was undaunted, fueled by grief,

So nothing could stop him on his holy quest.

He ventured to the last place he had seen Ingumard,

Whom he, with love, had called _Zugka_ in the Orcish tongue.

The place of last sight was Arkngthamz-Phng, home of the Kragen. 

The city was far in the east mountains and required many days of travel. 

But Druga knew he had to at least see the scene of destruction,

To see if the mighty ghosts and shades of the Deep Elves, 

Could pray tell of mighty fate and work back its construction. 

Along the way he was stopped by his cousin, Umor the Quick.

She had ridden with speed her Warg, _Agra_ , to see Druga. 

Umor brought news of the east: “There has been a terrible war, dear cousin.”

Druga, consumed, replied, “there is nothing left to fight over, my love is gone.”

Umor pressed on. “The elves of the ash of Morrowind have become something else.”

“Many curses damn them.” Druga cried with his hatred for the enemies of the Dwemer. 

“The word on the wind is that the elves are now the color of a bruise.” Umor said.

She continued. “Your love is gone but so is the natural state of the world,

Time came unfurled and swallowed up many, and three elves stole from the gods.

They are now divines themselves, they say.”

“Do they fight against Malacath? The prince of Oaths?” Druga asked.

“I do not know, but the Mad God hates them with a bent of sanity.” Umor answered.

“I care little for this. I am a Mad Rush. I must find Ingumuard.” Druga said.

Umor sighed. “Dear cousin, the Dwemer have disappeared from the face of Nirn,

They are all lost. Only their works remain.” 

“And yet the world goes on. Do the people of Tamriel care so little for life?”

Druga mused. 

“I will leave you to your grief, cousin.” Umor rode off. 

“It is all I have.” Druga whispered. 

After many more days of wandering, Druga arrived.

The gates of Arkngthamz-Phng stood open. It was just as Umor said.

Not a single soul in sight. 

Then Druga heard a roar.

A Dragon flew out the gates, wings to each side of the mountains. 

It screamed in the tongue of Dragons, words Druga did not know. 

The beast of time flew down and landed with a shock.

The force and wind blew Druga back onto the hard ground.

“Who comes to this city turned into a tomb?” 

The Dragon said with words Druga knew. 

“I seek what happened to the Deep Elves!” Druga said, 

Regaining his feet. 

“I am Druga gro-Mauldyr, son of Malacath, and I need to know of fate.”

Druga stood face to face with the Dragon that could eat him whole.

The beast snarled and said “Then you are of two worlds, Druga gro-Mauldyr.

One claw in Mundas and one in Oblivion.

Certainly, you would know more about the Dwemer than I.”

“You were here in this city, an ally of the Dwemer. You must know.”

Druga lamented.

“I know some and say little, mortal.” The Dragon said. “They were here once,

And now they are gone.”

“I know your name, Dragon!” Druga shouted.

“But you do not have my blood, mortal.” Thurvokun replied, softer.

Druga pounded his axe into the dirt and pleaded.

“Where has my love gone? Cure me of my distress!”

The great dragon Thurvokun simply sighed and said,

“He is nowhere. _Aaz Hah So_ , **fate is an impenetrable fortress**.”

“But I, a beast of time itself, do know one thing that can help you.

_Nahlnehviir_ , mortal. **Live and never die**. That will be your great effort.”


End file.
